The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. Ill] OF SCOTLAND 37
although there can be little doubt that the northern Pi'cts would
on that occasion be faithful to those allies by whom they had
been so frequently assisted.
In 839, Uen, the last king of the Picts of the line of
Constantin, was killed by the Danes, and with him the power
of the southern Picts again declined. ^ The only fact which
is at all known with certainty after this date, is the death of
Alpin, king of Dalriada in Galloway, after he had overrun and
nearly destroyed that ^
province and the chronicles are alto-
;
gether silent until we find his son Kenneth in the undisturbed
possession of the whole of Scotland north of the Firths of
Forth and Clyde.
Such being a short outline of the events which occurred
between the year 731 and the Scottish conquest, so far as they
can be ascertained from the more authentic annalists, it will
now be proper to proceed to the first line of argument by which
the true character of that conquest can be established, namely,
by arguing from the natural consequences of these events, and
the change which they were calculated to produce in the relative
situation of the different nations which at that time inhabited
Scotland.
The accession First.—We have seen that the pre-eminent power
the southern
Picts on three
occasions h»v.
to which the Piccardach or southern Picts attained
•
i a -» x t^ i i i
undcr Angus Mac Fergus, had the immediate effect
ing forced the ,
northern Picts of causing the iiorthem Picts to offer every opposition
into league
with the Dal- to that power, and to take every opportunity of ren-
'^
riads
^ i i j
against
^
them, a fourth dcring themsclvcs independent of them—an object,
attempt would '-' ^ •'
have the same
vvhich, although they were unsuccessful during the
life of Angus, they accomplished after his death, and
even succeeded in
the Pictish throne.
placing two monarchs of their own race upon
We have also seen that the very same cause under Constantin
Mac Fergus and his brother Angus, fifty years later, produced
the very same effect of causing the revolt of the northern Picts ;
and that although they were equally unsuccessful during the
lives of these two princes, yet during the reign of Drust, son
of Constantin, who succeeded Angus, they appear as indepen-
'
See Note, p. 32.
^
Register of St. Andrews